Cryopreservation and Thawing of Red Blood Cells Using Haemonetics ACP 215

Jung, Ok Ju; Kim, Moon Jung; Lee, Mi Kyung; Chung, Hwa Ryung; Oh, Deok Ja; Lim, A Hyun; Han, Tae Hee

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The FDA has approved the storage of frozen red blood cells (RBCs) at -80degrees C for 10 years. After deglycerolization, the RBCs can be stored at 4degrees C for no more than 24 hours, because open systems are currently being used. We evaluated Haemonetics ACP 215, an automated, functionally closed system, for both the glycerolization and deglycerolization processes. METHODS: Thirty packed RBCs that had been glycerolized and stored at -80degrees C for 2 weeks were thawed, deglycerolized and resuspended in AS-3. The RBCs were then stored at 4degrees C for 2 weeks. For the evaluation of the procedure, RBC recovery rate, osmolarity, specific gravity, LDH, K+, Hb-2, 3 DPG, Hb-ATP, and plasma hemoglobin were tested at day 0 and day 14. RESULTS: The recovery rate of RBCs was 83.7+/-2.6% (78.9-88.8%). The Hb ATP and 2, 3-DPG of RBCs were 5.16+/-1.0 mol/g Hb and 10.4+/-2.4 mol/g Hb, respectively, at day 0. The supernatant K+, specific gravity, osmolarity, LDH were 1.3+/-0.6 mmol/L, 1.008+/-0.001, 295.0+/-3.1 mOsm/kgH2O, 175.0+/-39.0 unit/L, respectively. All measurements were acceptable to allow the RBCs deglycerolized on ACP 215 to be stored at 4degrees C for 14 days. The blood cultures were negative at day 0 and day 14. CONCLUSIONS: Haemonetics ACP 215 provides a closed, automated system for RBC glycerolization and deglycerolization. This study showed that the RBCs that were glycerolized and deglycerolized in the automated instrument and stored in AS-3 at 4degrees C for 14 days are of an acceptable quality.